Do we still need tests in our schools today?
By Louiza Mark
EDI 600 Psychological Foundation of Education
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
April 15, 2009
Assessment is the most important element in everyday situations in the classroom. It is necessary to assess because it enables teachers to know whether or not they are effective in their teaching or not. There are multiple ways to assess students and good teachers take the time to analyze all of their student’s performances every single day.
One of the most common assessment tools is homework. It should be distributed everyday and studied by the teacher in order to determine student understanding of the work at hand. Everyday assessment can also be completed by participation and by a simple task at the end of each class. Simply ask three questions pertaining to what was taught that period and ask the students to answer them with one to two sentences. Upon leaving class they hand them in. these are great pieces of assessment because they allow the teacher to know what level of comprehension the students have of what they were taught that day. This can also help the teacher assess his/her own delivery and alter it for the next day in order to help benefit the students.
I think that assessment is only useful when teachers are trying to discover the level of knowledge that their students possess. I feel that it is detrimental to the psyche of students to have to strive to compete for the best grades possible. Too much pressure is placed on students with their grades, test scores, and college entrance exams. I believe that the true purpose of teaching is to actually have students learn, and by having them cram for exams is learning without substance. I would focus my teaching more on learning and place less emphasis on scores and grades.
A great substitute to grades is a student portfolio. By having students create a portfolio a sense of pride is put into the process. Students are able to reflect on their work and assess themselves. This ability to create work is beneficial in helping to promote critical thinking and higher order thinking. I am a proponent of student portfolios and will definitely use them with my students.
Long Island University, C. W. Post
April 15, 2009
Assessment is the most important element in everyday situations in the classroom. It is necessary to assess because it enables teachers to know whether or not they are effective in their teaching or not. There are multiple ways to assess students and good teachers take the time to analyze all of their student’s performances every single day.
One of the most common assessment tools is homework. It should be distributed everyday and studied by the teacher in order to determine student understanding of the work at hand. Everyday assessment can also be completed by participation and by a simple task at the end of each class. Simply ask three questions pertaining to what was taught that period and ask the students to answer them with one to two sentences. Upon leaving class they hand them in. these are great pieces of assessment because they allow the teacher to know what level of comprehension the students have of what they were taught that day. This can also help the teacher assess his/her own delivery and alter it for the next day in order to help benefit the students.
I think that assessment is only useful when teachers are trying to discover the level of knowledge that their students possess. I feel that it is detrimental to the psyche of students to have to strive to compete for the best grades possible. Too much pressure is placed on students with their grades, test scores, and college entrance exams. I believe that the true purpose of teaching is to actually have students learn, and by having them cram for exams is learning without substance. I would focus my teaching more on learning and place less emphasis on scores and grades.
A great substitute to grades is a student portfolio. By having students create a portfolio a sense of pride is put into the process. Students are able to reflect on their work and assess themselves. This ability to create work is beneficial in helping to promote critical thinking and higher order thinking. I am a proponent of student portfolios and will definitely use them with my students.
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